Drier.



WHITLATGH.

DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1909.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

wlruss'ss- ATTORNEYS M. WH-ITLATCH.

DRIER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1909.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

' 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. WHITLATGE.

DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 43, won.

e sums-sum: a.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

I M. WHI-TLA'IGH.

DRIER.

APPLICATION rum) my 4, 190a.

Patented Feb. 8 1910.

a sums-sum 4.

WITNESSES ATTORIVE Y8 M. WHITLATGH.

DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY4, 1909.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910,

SHEETS-SHEET 5.

. I I 1 L ll mvmron WITNESSES I 9 I ATTORNEYS M. WHITLATGH.

DRIER I APPLIOATION FILED MAY4, 1909. 948,75 1. Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

a alums-SEEM a.

WITNESSES ATTORNE Y8 -aaegZ the material; (2) in which the entire drying terial inserted in the drier oifers a resistance rinirno s'ra'irns" M nna @FFIQE.

MARSHALL WHITLATCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

" DRIER.

Specification of To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARSHALL WHIT- ing at New York city, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driers, of which the following is a specification.

In the designing gf driers heretofor'e many difiiculties have been encountered, chief among which has been that of subject-. ing the material to be treated to a constantly changing, fresh and unsaturated drying current of air or heated air without the formation of air pockets in the drier or permitting air which has once been in cont-act with the material to again come in contact therewith. The formation of air pockets ocours in spaces within the drier which are not directly in the line of flow of the current through the same, such pockets being composed of air in a more or less saturated condition, which tendsto impair the drying conditions which it is desired to maintain within the drier, and also is liable to again be brought in contact with the material treated should a current empty all or a portion of a pocket. The difliculty of treating the material in the drier to a current of air which comes into contact with the'material but once and then passes out of the drier, results also from the fact that any and all mato the current of air passing through the same in a degree corresponding to the character of the material, the flow of the air being impeded, back currents formed, and the eflicient operation of the drier otherwise interfered with.

It is the pur ose of my invention to provide a drier which will be free both from the disadvantages and objections as above set forth, and other difiiculties which have heretofore impaired the efiiciency of driers of the class to which my invention relates.

In carrying out my invention I have provided a drier (1) in which the material treated is subjected to the drying action of a constant flow of substantially unsaturated air, the air being removed from the drier instantly upon having come in contact with chamber throughout its whole extent receives an equal sup 1y of constantly changing and substantial y unsaturated air, every portion of the material within the chamber Lette s Pat t. Patented Feb. 8, 191%.

Application filed May 4, 1909. S eria1 No. 493,839.

A drier embodyingmyinvention is of novel design, form and construction and "comprises among its advantages novel supply and withdrawal of air, control of the temperature of the same, distribution of the air within the drying-"chamber, manner of jLeating the material, etc.

In the drawings herewith I have shown,

and will hereafter describe, for the purpose of illustration a drier embodying my invention which is more especially adapted for use in the drying of tobacco although it' will readily be seen that a drier embodying my invention may be constructed foruse in any desired drying operation without departing from the spirit of my invention which consists in the design, arrangement, construction, combination and operation of parts as set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

' In the drawings herewith like characters of reference denote like parts in all the figures thereof.

Figure 1 represents a side view in elevation of a drier embodying my invention; Fig. 2 represents a plan view of a drier embodying my invention; Fig. 3 represents a detail view in side elevation of the heater and air supply end of a drier embodying my invention; Fig. 4 represents a detail plan view of the portion of the drier as shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 represents a detail view in end elevation of the supply and exhaust mechanism of a drier embodying my invention, the drier chamber being shown in section; Fig. 6 represents a detail view in side elevation of an end of a drier embodying my invention, portions of the side of the trally through the supply and exhaust end of the second compartment of the drier as shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 10 represents'a plan view of a portion of one of the perforated plates contained in a drier embodying my invention; the preferred arrangement of the perforations being shown therein.

being thus treated alike.

-A drier embodying my invention and adapted especially for use in the drying of tobacco is shown in side elevation and in plan viewin Figs. 1 and 2 respectively. As therein shown, the drier with top 1 and bottom 2 is divided into ten drying compartments 3, two cooling compartments 4, and reordering compartment 5. The dividing walls 6 between compartments are provided with horizontal openings through which passes the upper length of an endless conveyer apron 7, preferably of wire net, supported on drums 8 at the end of the drier and passing over rollers 9 intermediate its upper length, preferably at the points of its passage through walls 6, the bearings of rollers 9 being preferably. outside of the drier. The lower passes underneath the drier, the direction description of compartments except of travel vof the upper length of the apron being from left to right. in walls 6 a light swinging shutter 10 is provided adapted to rest on the apron and substantially close the opening between for the passage of the apron. Over the apron 7 and adjacent thereto is placed a perforated plate 11, 'a second perforated plate 12 being in a like manner placed underneath the apron. Each drying compartment 3 is connectedby an inlet passage 13 with temperate air supply 14 and reheated air supply 15 above the drier, an exhaust passage 16 connecting each drying compartment with the exhaust pipe 17 underneath the drier. The inlet passages 13 enter alternate chambers above plate 11 and below plate 12, the exhaust passages 16 being arranged accordingly. A supply fan 18 draws the air supply through a tempering coil 19 and delivers it to supply pipes 14: and 15, a second heater or reheater 20 being placed at the entrance to reheated air supply pipe 15. An exhaust fan 21 withdraws thef air through exhaust pipe 17 Motors 22 of equal capacity are preferably used to operate the fans. Cooling compartments 4. are connected with a cold air supply duct 23, the air being withdrawn through exhaust passages 16 connected with exhaust pipe '17. Over the apron conveyer 7 at the delivery end of the drier is located a vapor hood 24. I i

It will readily be apparent from the detail my invention hereafter that the above general design of a drier may be changed or modified as desired to accord with the purpose forwhich it is to be used, the capacity and drying effect desired, etc., without departing from the spirit of my invention; the general form of drier as above designed having been found in practice to be of especial value in the drying of tobacco on a large scale.

Turning now to the particular construction of my drier in detail,I will first describe the heaters and supply and exhaust. fans as length of the apron-7..

At each opening and exhaust.

shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The supply fan 18 draws air through a tempering coil 1) and delivers it through hood 25 to supply passages 1-1 and 15, the air passing directly into temperate air'pa'ssage 14, and into reheated air passage 15 through a second heater 20, passage 15 being preferably below passage 14. Low pressure steam is supplied through pipes 26 and live steam through pipes 27 through headers 28 to heating pipes 29 passing into the tempering coil 19 and the heater 20. The heating pipes 29 passing into heater 29ers prefemw, arranged in independently valved sections each controlled by a hand valve 30. In this manner it will be seen that temperate air is supplied directly to the temperate air passage 1 1, whilethe air passing into reheated air passage 15 may be increased in temper-.iu re to any desired degree by the operation of heater-#85 20. The fans 18 and 21 are preferably driven through chain driving connections 31 with motors 22 which are designed to operate the fans at equal capacities of supply In order to gain the maximum etliciency of the drier the supply passages are uniform in size throughout their extension over the compartments, while the exhaust drying 16 1s of uniformly increasing size,

passage .being at its point of connection to the drying compartment farthest removed from the exhaust fan, of a size necessary to receive the exhaust air from that compartment,- being of double the initial capacity at its point 100 of connection to the second compartment, of triple the capacity at the third compartment and so on as the volume of exhaust air which it must receive is increased by its connection with additional 1 drying compart- 105 ments.

The delivery of air to and exhaust of air from the drying compartments is shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, the construction being such that a and uniformity of operation is produce In Fig. 8, which illustrates, in the construction shown, the first drying compartment, the air is delivered through the inlet passage 13 over the perforated plate 11 and in 115 a direction parallel with said plate between the same and the top of the drying comartment; in like manner the air is drawn out through the exhaust passage 16 from between perforated plate 12 and the bottom of 120 the drying compartment. In the second chamber, as shown in Fig. 9, the air is delivered below the plate 12 and exhausted from above plate 11.

By means of the'construction as above de- 12 scribed each drying compartment is in effect divided into three chambers, one between the upper perforated plate and the top. of the compartment, a second between the per forated plates through which the apron con- 'i' drier of the highest efliciencv 15 rows (see Fig.10). Each inletjpassag veyer passes, a third between the lower perunder every portion of the perforated plate forated plate and the bottom of the combeing thus supplied with air. Owing to the partment. The first or upper chamber concomparatively small size of the air. distributstitutes an air distributing chamber, the ing chamber and the manner of delivery of third or lower a distributing exhaust the air the above described supplyoccursina 70 chamber, or vice versa, and the. middle a brief space of time and is substantially comdrying chamber) The upper plate 11' is necpleted beforethe action of the exhaust fan essarilyf farther removed from the confrom the opposite side of the plate through veyer belt than the lower plate 12 since the the dryin chamber draws the air down or tobacco to be dried is piled upon the conup vthrong the plate. The action of the ex- 75 veyer.-. The perforations in the plates 11 haust having become effective, the air is and 12 are preferably arranged in rows, the drawn through the plate over its entire experforations of each row being offset or out =tent infine streams and immediately strikes of line with the perforations in adjacent the material to be dried; the material being e 13 piled on the conveyer apronand filling the 80 connects with both temperate air supp y 14 greater part ofthe space between the apron and reheated air supply 15 throughconnectand the upper plate, and the lower plate being pipes 32iin which are placed pivoted ing adjacent to the apron. The air u on dampers 33 which are connected by chain striking the material is not difi'used, ut,

2o 34 and may be regulated simultaneously to owing to the exhaust through the perforated 85 supply temperate air and reheated air in deplate on the opposite side of the apron consired volumes. Each inlet passage thus veyer, the streams of air are drawn through forms a mixing passage for the temperate the material substantially unbroken, every and reheated air. Pivoted dampers 35 are portion of the material being subjected also placed in inlet passages 13' and exhaust equally at all points in its course of travel 90 passages 16, each pair being connected by through the drier to the drying effect of unchain 36 in such a manner that they may be saturated, constantly flowing, heated air simultaneously controlled to regulate the which is immediately removed after'passing supply and exhaust equally. In the second through the material. In a like manner the chamber and in all chambers'where the supformation of a cpmparatively small air dis- 95 ply to the drying compartment is from betributingexhaust chamber with the flow of low dampers in inlet and exhaust pasthe exhaust parallel to the perforated plate sages .13 and 16 are simultaneously conthrough which the air is drawn, provides for trolled through beingmounted in the same an equal withdrawal of air at all the perfora- 35 horizontal plane'on a shaft- 37J The side of tions of said plate; the construction of the 100 the-drying compartments and supply pasexhaust pipe with uniformly increasing ca- V sages opposite the supply inlet and exhaust pacity insuring an equal withdrawal of air outlet is formed in removable panels 38 from each drying compartment. which may be readily removed to expose the The drying operation above described has 40'interior of the drier. The lower length of proved to be especially eflicient for use in 105 -ards outside of the drier are also provided same manner.

the conveyer apron being exposed underconnection with tobacco which permits of neath the drier, any damage thereto may be the passage of the air through it in fine, instantly noted and repaired, The drier isspaced streams, Other material as desired supported on standards 39, in which standmay, however, be efiiciently treated in the 110 bearings for the ends of the rollers 9. It will be seen that a drier embodying my The supply and withdrawal of air is as invention provides uniform and complete follows: The fans being operated at equal distribution of air supply in a distributing capacities, the supply fan delivers a constant chamber, the passage of the air in spaced an flow of temperate air tothe temperate air positively directed streams through the en- 11 passage and reheated air to the reheated air tire extent of the drying chamber and a l1Il1- passage, such temperate air and reheated air formly distributed withdrawal in the exbeing mixed in the inlet passage to each dryhaust chamber. The tendency of the air to ing compartment before entering the compass directly from inlet to outlet is overcome,

partment. The air being delivered in each the resistance offered by the material through 12 compartment over or under a perforated which the'air-must pass is provlded against, plate and in a direction parallel therewith and the use of saturated air or its resence at a considerable velocity, flows at once to in the drying chamber is ren-dere imposthe opposite end of the air distributing sible.. 1

chamber at the same .time expanding and i The temperature of the air in the supply filling the chamber in its entire width after passages or inlet passages may be governed leaving the constricted mouth of the inlet by the use of necessary thermometers or inpassage. Upon. striking the opposite end dicating devices and the proper regulation 'walf of the distributin chamber the air of the mixing and thrott ing dampers for 65 backs or piles up, the entire chamber over or each drying compartment independent of the per 33 opens the .5 forations pendently regulated.

movement of chain dryingcom others; in like manner the volume of air supplied any one compartment may be incle- The tobacco being placed on the apron conveyer (as indicated in Fig. 6) passes through successive drying compartments, is

cooled in the cooling compartments, 1 s

treated in the reordering compartments, as 1S usual in the handling of tobacco, to prevent excessive dryness, and is delivered at the opposite end of the drier, the slight vapor or steam arisin from the tobacco being drawn ofi through t e vapor hood.

A drier embodying my invention is of maximum capacity, and of absolutely uniform operation with a minimum of time, labor and expense required for its care and regulation.

As has reheated air and of temperate air admitted to the inlet or mixing passage of each compartment may be controlled by simultaneous operation of dampers 33 by means of chain 34, and it will be noted as shown that the 34 to close one damsecond damper 33 to an, equal degree; thus the exact volumes of,reheated air and temperate air desired may be obtained and any desired temperature maintained in each of the drying compartments independent of the others.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim by Letters Patent is 1.- In a drier, in combination, a drying compartment comprising an air -d1StIlbul3 ing chamber, a drying chamber,\and an air-.

withdrawal chamber arranged substantially in parallelism, an air supply passage, an inlet to said distributing chamber from said air supply passage, an air withdrawal passage, an outlet from said withdrawal chamber into said air withdrawal passage, and means for causing a flow of air through the artment. L 2. In a rier, in combination, a drying compartment comprising an air-distributing chamber, a drying chamber and an air-- withdrawal chamber arranged substantially in parallelism, a plate provided with performing a portion of the wall between said distributing chamber and said drying chamber, a second plate provided with perforations forming apontionof the wall between said drying and said withdrawal chamber, an' inlet *to said distributing chamber, an outlet from said withdrawal chamber, and means for pausing a flow of air through the compartment. I

3. In a drier, in combination, a drying compartment comprising an air-distributing chamber, a drying chamber, and an airwithdrawal chamber arranged substantially in parallelism, an air supply passage, an inlet to said distributing chamber from said air supply passage, an air withdrawal pasbefore been stated the supply of' steam sage, an outlet from said withdrawal chamber into said air withdrawal passage, means for supplying air to the distributing chamber through the inlet, and means for withdrawing air fromthe withdrawal chamber through the outlet.

4. In a drier, in combination, a drying compartment comprising an air-distributing chamber, a drying cham er and an air-withdrawal chamber arranged substantially in parallelism, a plate provided with perforations forming a portion of the wall between the distributing chamber and the drying chamber, a second plate rovided with perforations forming a portion of the wall between the drying chamber and the withdrawal chamber, an inlet to the distributing from the withdrawal chamber, and means for causing a flow of air into said distributing chamber in a direction substantially parallel with the perforated pl ate between the distributing chamber and the drying chamber.

5. 'In a drier, in combination, a drying compartment comprisin an air-distributing chamber, a drying cham er and an air-withdrawal chamber arranged substantiall in parallelism, a plate provided with per orations forming a portion of the wall between chamber, an outlet the distributing chamber and the drying chamber, a second plate provided with perforations forming a portion of the wall between the drying chamber and the withdrawal chamber, an inlet to-the distributing chamber, an outlet from the withdrawal chamber, and means for causing a flow of air from the withdrawal chamber in a direc-- tion substantially parallel with the perfo-- rated plate between the withdrawal chamber and the dryingchamber.

6. In a drier, in combination, compartment, comprising an air-distributing chamber, a drying chamber, and'an airwithdrawal chamber arranged substantially in parallelism, a plate provided with per: forations forming a portion of the wall between the distributing chamber and the drying chamber, a second plate provided with perforations forming a portion of the wall between the drying chamber and the withdrawal chamber, an inlet to the distributing chamber, an outlet from the withdrawal chamber, means for causing a flow of air into the di'stributin chamber in a direction substantially paral el with the perforated plate between the distributing chamber and the drying chamber, and means for causing a flow of air -from .the withdrawal chamber in a direction substantially parallel withtheperforated plate between the withdrawal chamber and the drying chamber. 7.In a drier, in combination, a drying compartment comprising an air-distributing chamber, a drying chamber, and an airwithdrawal chamber arranged substantially a drying in parallelism, an air supply passage, an inlet for 'said distributing chamber, fromsaid air supply passage, an air Withdrawal passage, an outlet for said withdrawal chamber, into said air withdrawal assage and means for causin a flow of air from the distributing cham er into and .lt-lIIOllgh the drying chamber throughout the entire 'extent of the latter, the direction of flow of air into the distributing chamber from said A inlet being substantially at right angles tothe direction of flowof-the air through the h drying chamber,

8. In a 'drier, in combination, a drying compartment comprising an air-distributing chamber, a drying" chamber, and an airwithdrawal chamber. arranged substantially in parallelism, an air supply passage an inlet for said distributing chamber, from said air supply passage, an air withdrawal passage, an outlet for said ,withdrawal chamber into said air withdrawal passage and means for causing a flow of air through the drying chamber throughout its entire extent and i'nto' the withdrawal chamber, the direction of flow through the outlet from the withdrawal chamber being substantially at right angles to the direction of flow through the drying chamber.

9. In a drier, in combination, a drying compartment comprising an air-distributing chamber, a drying chamber, and an airwithdrawal chamber arranged substantially,

in parallelism, an inlet for said distributing chamber, an outlet for said withdrawal chamber and means for causing a flow of air through the chambers between saidinlet and said outlet, the direction of How of air into the distributing chamber from the inlet and through the outlet from the withdrawal chamber being substantially at right angles to the direction of flow-of the air through the drying chamber.

10."In a drier, in combination, a d ying compartment comprising an air-distributing chamber, a drying chamber, and an airwithdrawalchamber arranged substantially in parallelism, a plate forming a portion of the wall between the distributing chamber and the drying chamber provided with perforations, asecond plate forming a portion, of the wall between the drying chamber and the withdrawal chamber provided with perforations, an inletto the distributing chamber, an outlet from ,the withdrawal chamber, and; means for causing afiow of air into the distributing chamber and from the same through. the drying chamber, the direction of flow of air into the distributing chamber being substantiallyat right angles to the direction of flow of air through the drying chamber: 1 A "j 11. In a drier, a drying compartment, a plurality of walls therein adapted to divide the compartment into. an air-distributingchamber, a centrally disposed drying cha'm her, and an air withdrawal chamber arranged substantially in parallelism, and means for causing a flow of air through the drying, chamberthroughout its entire extent, said means comprising 7 perforations provided in the one of said walls between the drying chamber and the air-distributing chamber, an inlet intofthe air-distributing chamber, and means for supplying air to tile air-distributing chamber through said 1 et. a

12. In a drier a drying compartment, a plurality ofwalls therein adapted to divide the compartment into an air-distributing chamber, a centrally disposed drying chamber, and an air-withdrawal chamber arranged substantially, in parallelism, and means for causing a flow ofair through the drying chamber throughout its entire extent, said means comprising perforations provided in the one of said walls between the drying chamber and the air-distributing chamber, an inlet into the air-distributing chamber, and means for supplying a flow of air into the air-distributing chamber through said inlet in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of flow of air through said drying chamber.

13, In a drier, a drying compartment, a

plurality of walls therein adapted to divide provided in the one of said walls between the drying chamber and the air-withdraWaL chamber, an outlet from the air-Withdrawal chamber, and means "for withdrawing the air from the withdrawal chamber through said outlet.

14. In a drier, a drying compartment,

a plurality of walls therein adapted to divide the compartment into an air-distributing chamber, a centrall disposed drying chamber and an air-with awal' chambenarranged substantially in parallelism, and means for causing a flow of air through the drying cha'mber throughout its entire extent, said means comprising perforations provided in the one of said walls between the drying chamber and the air-withdrawal chamber, an outlet from the air-withdrawal chamber, and means for causing a flow of air from the withdrawal chamber'through said outletin adirection substantiall at right angles to the direction of flow 0 air through said drying chamber.

15. In a drier a drying compartment, a

plurality of walls therein adapted to divide t e compartment. into an air-distributing c amber, a centrally disposed drying cham bet, and an air-withdrawal chamber arranged substantially in parallelism, and means for causing a flow of air through said compartment, said means comprising'a plurality of perforations provided in the said walls between the drying chamber and the air-distributing chamber, and between the drying chamber and the air-withdrawal chamber,an' inlet into the air-distributing chamber, an outlet from the air-withdrawal chamber, means for supplying a flow of air into the air-distributing chamber through said inlet, and for withdrawing the air from MARSHALL WHITLATCH.

Witnesses:

T. E. HARDENBERGH, Jr., W. A. PAULING. 

